9. Labeling, Advertising, Display Materials and Commercial Documents

9.1	Information Regarding Organic Production Methods
9.2	Required Information and Prohibited References on Labels
9.3	Labelling of Foods Containing Ingredients of Organic Origin
9.4	Labeling of Fruit and Vegetables by Operators
9.5	Indications Relative to Inputs and Services Approved by an Accredited Certifier
9.6	Advertising, Display Materials and Commercial Documents

The following rules must be followed by all enterprises producing and/or preparing organic agricultural food and products for the purpose of selling them on their behalf and under their own trademark.

9.1 Information Regarding Organic Production Methods

9.1.1 Products shall be considered as bearing information referring to organic production methods when these products or their ingredients are identified using the following terms (or their abbreviations) on labels and in advertising or commercial documents:

"Organic"
"Biological"
"Ecological"
"Biodynamic"
Any similar term intended to lead retailers and consumers to understand by this reference that these product results from organic agriculture.

9.1.2 Section 9.1.1 shall not apply when these terms clearly have no connection with the production method (e.g.: ecological house).

9.2 Required Information and Prohibited References on Labels

9.2.1 All certified products having labels that mention the term organic must be properly identified before being placed on sale. The following data elements must appear both on the product label affixed to packaging and on all transaction documents referring to the product (in addition to those required by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency):

a.	The company's identification (name or identifying code) to which an accredited body has issued an organic compliance certificate for the production or the most recent processing operation (depending on which one applies), resulting in the certified product;
b.	The trade name (either full name or acronym) of the certifier to which the operator is subject, inscribed in a clear and readable manner;
c.	The batch number, if applicable;
d.	The name of the country or territory from which all products originate, if neither produced nor processed in Québec, even though packaged and labeled in that province.
Explanatory note: The identification of the country of origin applies to all single-ingredient products having been repackaged (e.g. raisins from Greece) or rebottled (e.g. olive oil from Spain), without the Québec operator having modified or mixed them with other ingredients (according to a recipe). When any multi-ingredient products were mixed abroad before simply being repackaged by the Québec operator, the name of the country in which the original mix was carried out must appear on the product's label.

9.2.2 Any mention of the following items is prohibited, both on the label attached to the product's packaging and on all transaction certificates referring to them:

a.	Any information claiming that a food product contains no ingredients resulting from genetic engineering (GMOs), unless proven by independent tests and that this product contains one or more ingredients whose equivalent version can be produced in the form of genetically modified crops included in the official list found at the Health Canada Internet site. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/protection/biotech/products.htm
b.	The term "organic" or one of its synonyms as mentioned in 9.1.1 has been affixed to the main panel of the packaging, when the product contains less than 95% organic ingredients originating from organic agriculture.
c.	Any mention added to the label (other than the list of ingredients) which leads to the belief that the product contains organic ingredients when the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients originating from organic agriculture.
d.	The corporate logo of the certification body that verified the product when the product contains less than 70% organic ingredients.
e.	Notations such as product produced during a period of transition to organic production or any other similar wording referring to transition or conversion.

9.3 Labeling of Foods Containing Ingredients of Organic Origin

9.3.1 In order for a product to bear an "organic" label, at least 95% of its ingredients must originate from agricultural enterprises or production units holding an organic compliance certificate conferred by a certifier approved (accredited or recognized) by the CARTV.

9.3.2 When certified agricultural products have less than 100% ingredients of organic origin, persons marketing them shall abide by the follow labeling rules, listed in appendix B.

a.	Any mention on the label that a product is "organic" is only allowed on certified products where at least 95% (by weight or volume, excluding salt and water) of their ingredients originate from organic agriculture. Exceptions to this rule include: Wine and alcoholic drinks whose processing operations (wine making, etc.) were monitored by an accredited certifier, and to which sulphites have been added: the label affixed to product packaging must mention "wine made from organic grapes" when used for wine, or an equivalent mention when used for other alcoholic drinks (effective January 1, 2006). Any foodstuffs wherein the processing requires the obligatory addition of sulfites, nitrates or nitrites: must bear the description “… made from such organic ingredient or such organic food group(s)”.
b.	The mention "contains X% of ingredients certified as organic" on the packaging is obligatory for those certified products where between 70% and 95% (by weight or volume, excluding salt and water) of their ingredients originate from organic agriculture.
c.	Information on the list of ingredients pertaining to the organic nature of certain product ingredients is only authorized if the product has been certified (if it contains 70% or more organic ingredients) or has been verified (if it contains less than 70% organic ingredients) by an organization accredited by the CARTV, and in so far as any ingredient contained in the product is not in both an organic and non-organic format.
d.	When a product's contents are not 100% organic, the list of ingredients must make a clear distinction between those ingredients that are organic and those that are not. However, the organic ingredients on this list shall be mentioned using a format, color and font style similar to those used to list ingredients not of organic origins. Finally, all additives and processing aids that remain in the products shall appear in the list of ingredients.
e.	The list of ingredients shall itemize all ingredients, ordered according to their weight. All additives and processing aids that remain in the products shall also be listed next to the ingredients. Non-organic ingredients shall be indicated as such. It is unacceptable to dissimulate unauthorized ingredients through an overly general statement of ingredients.
f.	If herbs and spices constitute less than 2% of the total weight of the product and are not individually listed in the ingredients statement, they shall be listed as "herbs" or "spices." In such cases, the complete mixture used shall be made available to the certification body's inspector.

9.3.3 All finished products having information on their labels referring to organic production modes, either on one of their panels or simply on their list of ingredients, must also have clearly displayed on their packaging the name (company name) of the body that certified or verified the product. This refers to the organization that issued the compliance certificate (for products containing more than 70% organic ingredients) or the verification certificate (for products containing less than 70% organic ingredients) to the operator that has carried out the most recent operation resulting in this product.

The presence on the finished product's label of any seal of conformity to the standard, of the certifying body's logo and address is optional for any product containing 70% of organic ingredients or more. This information is prohibited for products inadmissible for organic certification, such as those containing less than 70% of organic ingredients and for which a verification certificate had simply been issued by the certifier, or even input and services that had only been approved by a certifier.

9.4 Labeling of Fruit and Vegetables by Operators

9.4.1 Perishable foods, such as certified fruit and vegetables, shipped and intended for sale, shall be individually labeled (using stickers or others methods) by the operator holding an organic compliance certificate for these products.

9.4.2 When, due to their specific nature, products cannot be labeled individually (e.g. grapes), then it is the unit of sale (grape or broccoli bunch, parsley bundle, etc.) that shall be affixed with a label.

9.4.3 The operator that holds the certificate shall print its name (or identification codes allotted by the certification body) along with the name of the certifier on all labels attached directly to fruit, vegetables and other food products in bulk.

9.4.4 In exceptional cases, when no labels can be affixed to each fruit or vegetable, their packaging must be done under the responsability of the certificate holder and in a container upon which the label will be affixed. This label must include all information required by Article 9.2.1.

9.5 Indications Relative to Inputs and Services Approved by an Accredited Certifier

9.5.1 When an input (as described in article 1.3.1) has been approved by an accredited certifier, the only reference authorized in related advertising, labeling, commercial packaging or documentation is the following: "approved for organic agriculture or organic processing," followed only by the certification body's name, without any logo and seal.

9.5.2 When a service (as described in articles 1.3.2 and 1.3.3) has been approved by an accredited certification body, the only reference authorized in related publicity, labeling, commercial packaging or documentation is the following: "approved for organic (identification of the type of service)" followed only by the certification body's name, without any logo and seal.

9.6 Advertising, Display Materials and Commercial Documents

9.6.1 Mandatory information or claims that are allowed on a food label may also be used to advertise that food. Information generally deemed as unacceptable is not allowed in advertising.

9.6.2 The use of the term “organic” or the expression “certified organic”, as well as any other derivative terms used to identify the type of operation (i.e.: bio, organic culture, organic breeding, organic cooking, etc.) practiced by a company are only allowed in advertising and on display material when all products resulting from this operation are certified as conforming to standards applying to products within this category.